Printmaking

8th graders have been working on a printmaking assignment. They were inspired by the works of Pop Artists, using everyday "objects" as their inspiration. Their final goal for the assignment was to create four "good" prints using four different colors. Most students love this assignment because they are using a different material. The results below are a great example of what the finished assignment should look like.

Value Still Life

While I was on maternity leave at the beginning of the school year, my long term substitute started a still life with my 8th graders.  I have 2 life skills students in my one class, so the assignment illustrated below is an adapted lesson for them (which I love so much I will most likely use for all my students next semester).

My long term substitute printed out a black and white image of a still life. The students cut out different shades of the same color and glued directly on top of the printed image resulting in what you see below---they look AMAZING!  I can’t get over how good they look, so impressed and inspired to do this lesson again. 

 

8th grade Silhouette Paintings

8th graders have been working with painting to demonstrate value.  The goal of the assignment was to mix colors together to go from light to dark in the bands surrounding the silhouette.  The most difficult part for most students was controlling the amount of paint they used—I kept reminding them that in order to waste less paint, always mix the darker color into the light (I feel like I am saying that in my sleep).  Another successful assignment from my 8th graders.  They loved working with the subject of their choice, and using paint to create the end design.  It’s been a messy assignment, but a fun one with great results!

Work in progress

Value/Op Art Hands

I’ve just returned from maternity leave and got my 8th graders started on a small VALUE assignment.  The goal of this assignment was to make their hands appear to be popping forward.  Students used their colored pencils to create dark and light tones--I think their work was pretty successful!

Line Portraits

8th graders worked with LINE as their focus for the month of February.  The images below represent some amazing examples of using lines to “complete” half of a portrait. 

Figure Drawings

My 8th graders are still working with the element of value, so I had them take a photograph of a  mannequin.  They had fun figuring out the composition and how to bend the arms and legs to make it an appealing image to draw from.  Below are some examples of how they turned out---overall I would say this was a very successful lesson.  

8th grade-MOSAIC

8th grade has been busy working on their CD mosaics.  I let them choose their subject matter this semester, and some did choose to do landscapes (like last semester did), but others took off and running and created some pretty amazing works of art!  With the Hunger Games movie coming out soon, my 3rd period class has created a lot of work based on the novels.  The “mockingjay” pin is represented below.  It is absolutely INCREDIBLE!

 

We made front page news!

Very happy to see this on the front page of our Junior High school newspaper.  Three students created an "Art Corner" and two works were featured.  So proud to see the art as a prominent feature (FRONT PAGE!) of the paper that both parents and students read.  Great job!!

8th grade-LINE-Copper relief

To continue working with LINE, 8th graders got to create a line drawing--but instead of using just paper they used copper to create a relief.  If you were to run your hands on top of the copper you would actually feel the texture of the work underneath.  After students were completed with the copper section of their artwork they were to create a "frame" that extended their work beyond the copper itself.  They worked on black paper with colored pencil, so it gave a real contrasted look.  Unfortunately the pictures aren't that great, but trust me, the work in person is really quite incredible to see.  

This lesson works for all ability levels--this was done by one of my Life Skills students-AMAZING WORK!

8th grade-BRAVES

The mascot for our school is the Octorara BRAVE.  I had my 8th graders, working with a grid print out--double the size of the image and re-create as best they could the Octorara Brave.  It was a struggle to get through it, but most were pretty successful.  I had attempted to have students create the different values by using hatching/cross-hatching and stipple, but it ended up being way over their heads, and not too successful.   I would say the simple shading most did was a great way to finish off the drawing.

An example of how they drew

Op Art

Both 7th and 8th grade students worked with the style of OP ART for a few assignments.  I incorportated the style to work side by side with LINE (which was both 7th and 8th grades element of the month for October). I love the way these assignments turn out every time.  All the Op Art assignments they do are "do-able" for all students---for all ability levels.  Some great examples are shown below of two out of the three Op art based assignments we do.  

This one is almost complete (I need a picture of the finished artwork).

Zentangles

8th grade is working on a 2 part assignment dealing with LINE.  The first part of the assignment is to create 4 Zentangles.  They are working on a 6X6 inch paper to create their work and will eventually find their best piece and add color to it.  We will then work with 1 point perspective to create an interesting background space to mount the finished product.  They are doing such an amazing job, I had to share the work in progress.  

I must say, for my 8th graders they are really getting into their work and it does seem to be a "zen-like" experience for some :-)  The classes are a bit quieter while Zentangles are being created.  

Monochromatic Paintings-8th grade-COLOR

8th graders worked with paintings for the assignment below.  They could choose an image of anything they wanted.  Once they did this, I put the image on my computer and used a computer program called Photoshop to alter the image--to create almost a paint by number look.  The main intention of the assignment was color mixing.  Students were to choose a color they liked, and by mixing that color with either black or white they created a monochromatic painting.  Some chose to do a faded look with the paints in the background--modeled after the painter Mark Rothko (while others didn't--which was OK too).  I am so proud of the results!